1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the fields of medical and hospital equipment. More specifically the present invention relates to a sheet harness apparatus for retaining and supporting a person on top of a bed on their back, and preferably at the center of the bed, whether the mattress is positioned horizontally or on an incline, for safely orienting and positioning a person such as an infant having SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), GURDS, or a cold, who cannot lie on his or her stomach. The apparatus can support and secure adults as well, such as invalids and hospitalized patients lying on a mattress raised to an inclined angle to help them eat and swallow food.
The apparatus includes a waist harness such as a diaper or a pair of shorts fastened to a fitted sheet having a sheet head end and a sheet foot end for fitting onto a mattress, and at least one sheet anchor strap with a strap connected end fastened to the sheet head end and with a strap anchoring end having a strap anchoring fastener for wrapping around a part of a bed at the head of the bed such as the bed springs or bed frame and fastening to itself, so that the strap anchoring end forms a loop around a part of the bed and thereby prevents the fitted sheet from sliding toward the foot of the bed, such as when the mattress head end or head of the bed is raised to place the mattress at an incline. The waist harness preferably is fastened to the center of the fitted sheet upper surface and preferably with sewn stitches. The strap anchoring fastener alternatively fastens to part of the bed itself, or to any other object at or adjacent to the head of the bed. Two spaced apart and parallel sheet anchor straps preferably are provided and both fastened to the sheet head end for wrapping around a part or parts of the bed so that support at the sheet head end is more broadly distributed. The sheet anchor strap or straps preferably are fastened with sewn stitches to the sheet lower surface, near the center of the fitted sheet. Each strap anchoring fastener preferably includes mating hook and loop fastener patches which are positioned to meet and engage when the anchoring strap is looped around part of a bed.
The waist harness preferably takes the form of a diaper which, for an adult includes diaper fasteners in the form of sets of tie ports, each tie port being fitted with a grommet, and tie strips for fitting through registering tie ports. For a child, lighter and easier to operate fasteners such as snap fasteners are substituted for the tie ports and tie strips. A fly preferably is provided in the adult diaper, so that the fly provides access to the groin and a catheter can be passed through the fly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have long been devices and assemblies for securing a person reclined on a support surface such as a mattress or reflux wedge. Elkin, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,251,846, issued on Aug. 7, 2007, discloses a harness for securing an infant to a reflux wedge, including a crotch support and straps extending over the top of the reflux wedge and secured to back of the reflux wedge.
LaValle, U.S. Pat. No. 6,708,356, issued on Mar. 23, 2004, teaches a bedding article including a top panel secured to a bottom panel with fasteners to define openings for receiving the legs and lower torso of a baby. Fasteners extend radially from the periphery of the bottom panel to releasibly secure the bottom panel to a sleeping surface.
Hillstead, U.S. Pat. No. 6,834,405, issued on Dec. 28, 2004, reveals a mechanism for securing an infant in the supine position, including a supporting pad having an infant retaining harness at its center and laterally extending straps wrapping around the sides of a mattress.
McConnell, U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,219, issued on May 5, 1998, discloses an infant sleep positioning device including a child harness and laterally extending straps for engaging upright side posts of a crib.
De Bell Daniel, U.S. Pat. No. 5,233,714, issued on Aug. 10, 1993, teaches an infant restraining device including an infant supporting structure with portions which wrap around the sides of a mattress.
McGrath-Saleh, U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,244, issued on Feb. 7, 1989, discloses a premature infant bedding construction including a bedding to receive a prone body of an infant and a U-shaped retainer.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a sheet harness apparatus which comfortably and yet securely secures a person within a harness at the center of a mattress when the mattress is positioned at an incline, the harness being secured with straps extending over the head of the mattress to an anchoring structure such as the frame of a bed.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a sheet harness apparatus in which the harness is secured to the center of a fitted sheet so that the harness remains centered on the mattress.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a sheet harness apparatus which optionally includes a fly to pass a catheter from a patient.
It is finally an object of the present invention to provide such a sheet harness apparatus which is easy to use, can be laundered, and is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.